This Was Television On September 3

1966: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet concludes

The longest-running live action sitcom in TV history ended after 14 seasons. A staple of radio entertainment for a decade, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet moved to the small screen in 1952 and helped the young ABC network establish a foothold. Married musicians Ozzie and Harriet Nelson played versions of themselves, eventually joined by their young sons David and Ricky—the latter of whom gained fame in his own right as an early rock ‘n’ roll teen idol.

Ozzie and Harriet‘s storylines frequently came from the family’s real lives. When David and Ricky were married, their marriages and real-life wives were written into the show. And when the Nelson family began recreating moments from their past over and over five nights a week, the show was sold into syndication. -A.D.